career crossroads in my 50s, had many jobs but nothing has stuck - ideas?

[bernice28]

I'm 53 and I've had various jobs in academia since finishing my PhD (in English Literature). Never managed to secure that elusive permanent English lecturing post in UK unversity, so instead I've done various things like English Language/EAP teacher, university admin and even proposal writing in the corporate world. Nothing has stuck - I still feel like I'm searching for something that suits me. I taught for 10 years at the OU and after that did 4 years in a college in the UAE teaching mainly academic English; hard, strange work (highly entitled, unmotivated students), but at least it was well paid. Back in the UK now- what can I do? Everything seems so oversubscribed. The OU's books seem to be closed for new AL vacancies. The most obvious pathway would be to do a PGCE, but in my heart I just don't want to teach in schools. (A level/sixth form might be OK..). I'm also interested in the idea of the Educational Psych route; but would need to do the Masters Psychology conversion course and have got a bit disheartened this past week reading how competitive it is trying to get on to the EP doctorate. I've half a mind to try and reapply for a job in the middle east, as at least you can make some money there (the complication here is that I have a child whose father I am now not with, so he would have to be in agreement with us going)...but getting a job again there isn't a certainty - I might be too old now, and it's a big upheaval to shift country (again). But the UK seems so hard now.. Any ideas please anyone for someone with my skills...? Or if you have been in a comparable situation. Thanks! Also please feel free to ask me if you have any questions about any part of my experience.

Have you worked for student services in academic support for HE students?
I support disabled HE students with study skills and find it v rewarding.
the ed psych route seems too lengthy and expensive?

Academic HR?

If you don’t want to work with children then the educational psychology route doesn’t seem like a good fit.

What about another administrator role in UK HE? Or academic writing support?

Teaching in prisons? You might need an FE pgce, but possibly not if you have experience with teaching adults.

Would need a few yea'rs experience at a low level then at least 2 years professional training

Hi, thanks so much for all your replies.
@Overtheatlantic Working a pure desk job (eg in HR, even if in academia) is not for me long term, as I would prefer to interact with/teach learners.
@Pigletpoglet Prison Ed is good idea - had in interview for this, which I couldn't make (on holiday). But they shortlisted me without a PGCE so promising.
@Maplebean Academic support in HE would be good; have applied for some roles in my local uni (Exeter) but no joy. Living in south Devon not too many unis and Exeter university (my local) has good roles come up but hundreds of applications!
With Ed psych - take your point @BadSkiingMum but I might go for some TA roles to see if that is definitely a no-no.

A quicker route than being a TA might be to ask a local school if you can do a few days of observation, with a view to either teaching or ed-psych? That will give you an answer far more swiftly!

Would you be willing to teach in a private school? I’m sure they would bite your hand off.

There's a lot about your meanderings that are similar to my own OP (including the decade at the OU and quite a bit of EAP/EFL). I did teach in a private 6th form at one point - and in general - 6th forms don't have to require PGCE. I liked 6th form but for the long term would really have needed to train - but you can do that on the job. I still might go back to it (my HE contract ends in Sep and I'm also wondering what happens next...). The Ed Psych route is a very long road - really big commitment. You need to be really sure about that. The conversion on its own is pretty useless though without some kind of add on quals.

Thanks @Acinonyx2 -'meanderings' is right, glad I'm not alone! Yes, I'm starting to see that with Ed Psych that getting on the doctorate isn't easy, and may require more years of hands on psych experience (in various MH, school work and assistant psych roles) to really increase chances of acceptance. Your 6th form private work, I assume they were happy to take you on the basis of your other credentials, did you spend some time A' level tutoring before applying for that? I assume that before considering you, they would need to see some evidence of A' level teaching.

Online tutoring to support pupils through their English exams. Loads of people on our local pages seeking tutors for their teenage children. Working 1:1 very different to school so might appeal?

Yes, assume all that is needed to do is get the GCSE/A level syllabi and revise them..then get going on it

I taught A level in a subject I had taught to undergraduates - but I had not taught A level before. I had no difficulty teaching A level though. I then taught in a state 6th form (technically they do not need you to have a PGCE either but I did have A level teaching experience by then). I wouldn't want to teach FT in a state 6th form though - frankly it's just too much work for the pay. PT is OK but still always more than your hours. There are lot of private 6th forms around though.

Like PP - also done quite a lot of online tutoring - especially UG/PG. If you've done EAP/EFL - quite a lot of that online.

Classic portfolio 'career'. Back FT in HE just now but will be PT again by Oct and thinking about what to do. I got sick of juggling so many PT jobs.

It's a nightmare isn't it...the constant applying..it never ends! Thanks for your inputs and hope it all works out for you.

I would recommend learning design/learning technology/digital learning roles. If you worked for the OU, were you involved in any online learning design? There are lots of roles around at the moment within this field and many are remote/hybrid. There are some specialist recruitment agencies (eg. Instinct) who do short term contracts etc if you wanted to build up your experience.

@TerrifiedPresenter thank you so much for your message! Learning design is an idea I am seriously floating. Yes, I created online materials for the OU, such as screencasts and in general I have a lot of experience creating teaching materials (lessons/exams) for the virtual learning environment. I have a rookie's knowledge of Articulate Rise and have created one short course using AR. But besides this I have no portfolio of work and I would say my knowledge of ID is at a beginner level. So do you think I need to do a course in this to build a portfolio? Someone else on another thread mentioned the edX Masters in instructional design. However I see there is a job for an 'Early Stages Learning Designer' on the Instinct site, maybe should just go for it, and talk up my education and ed tech background :)